Control's editors weigh in with timely insights and tidbits on goings-on in the process automation world, mostly news and technology but also interesting perspectives gleaned from our daily conversations with end users and the challenges of the craft.

Big Noise from Austin, part one...

First, on the asset management front:
Emerson Process Management has extended its PlantWeb Smart Machinery Health Monitoring capabilities to include turbomachinery protection.
The offering meets the American Petroleum Institute's API 670 definition of industry best practices for turbomachinery protection. Emerson has completed its line of online machinery monitoring offerings, adding to its reputation as a leading supplier of predictive diagnostics and performance monitoring for critical equipment.

Emerson's Smart Machinery Health Monitoring integrates with the process automation environment, enabling maintenance and operations personnel to maximize equipment reliability and plant performance. The new CSI 6000 Machinery Health monitor protects critical machinery from catastrophic failures, permitting orderly shutdown of equipment and related processes.
Turbomachines are critical assets in power plants, oil and gas production facilities, refineries, pulp and paper mills, chemical and petrochemical plants. These multimillion- dollar assets weigh hundreds of thousands of pounds; their blades spin at near-supersonic speeds, and they often operate at over 1,000 °F and over 3000 psi. They can quickly self-destruct if not protected, potentially causing injury, environmental incidents or significant economic losses.
"Turbomachinery is at the heart of every process plant, and to operate with confidence, our users need predictive diagnostics, performance monitoring and protection systems integrated with process automation," said John Berra, president of Emerson Process Management. "No one else is doing integrated diagnostics and protection," added Berra. "This is what we're doing, and it's a very powerful solution."
"The CSI 6000 Machinery Health Monitor complements our leading online machinery monitoring solutions and AMS Suite predictive maintenance software," added Craig Llewellyn, president of Emerson's Asset Optimization division. "Now our users can turn to Emerson for the most comprehensive and integrated machinery monitoring capabilities."
A complete range of sensors, adapters, cables, connectors, converters and fittings are available for new installations, retrofits or replacement of sensors during an overhaul. Instrumentation adjustments or change-outs can be made while the machine is running. Emerson offers world-class services to assist users with system design, installation, configuration and startup, training and ongoing support.